The purpose of this paper is to examine pertinent research concerned with teaching English as a second language (ESL) to speakers of Spanish, to analyze fundamental problems Spanish speakers may experience when taught to read and learn in the target language English, and to suggest practices for teachers of ESL to assist Spanish-English bilingual readers in their specific linguistic needs. Following a brief review of the literature on the teaching of English as a second language, fundamental language differences are discussed, and phonological aspects of consonants and vowels as Spanish speakers reading English words may pronounce and interpret them are examined. A lesson for the native speaker of Spanish is suggested in a step-by-step presentation. (LL)